Holiday Cheer
by Prince of Tennis' Shaman
Summary: A oneshot/drabble to commemorate today. Written for a certain senpai, but it's not a birthday fic. : Shu muses about why his favorite time of the year is his favorite time of the year.


Hey! So okay, I'm not really out of anything yet (finals are still next week and stuff) but today's important so here's something to commemorate it.

And since I really am short on time, this is short, too. I'm sorry; I really want to write a long one but time is not on my side right now. I'll save the long one for March. (:

Note to senpai: That "March" comment might have tipped you off to what I'm thinking as I write this, but the reason this drabble exists is on your profile. xD Oh, and it's definitely alright for you to fulfill requests and the like – _Tsukaimono _was discarded anyway, and _Sakura Matsuri _is only for Jiro pairings (well, and side pairings of other stuff, but mainly for Jiro). And I love reading anything of yours, so…

Notes: Game Universe. Shu is sixteen (as he is supposed to be in the game), but if any memories occur, he's thinking about when he and Kluke were ten and when Jiro was eleven (basically, their anime ages). Except for one scene, but the time frame for that will show up later. Holidays based off a mix of America and Japan.

Dedication: Senpai

Disclaimer: Pesky things. I mean…I don't own Blue Dragon. If I did, I'd at least have a copy of each game. But I don't (*sniff*).

_Holiday Cheer_

Shu liked this time of year best.

Happiness radiated tangibly in the air, all pleasant meaningless chatter and busy preparation. A sweet-smelling cloud had all but fallen completely on a cheerfully helpless village, mochi and cakes and a variety of different pastries and baked goods in warm ovens. And if there was anything that disturbed this wonderful cloud, it could only be the delightful smells of the traditional food reserved for the coming of another new year. Fushira would most likely be ready to depart to Jiro's house soon, where the trio would hold these celebrations from this year on. Kluke probably was already there with the hosts, helping out with the cooking and baking.

He glanced down at his bag, laden with little homemade gifts to celebrate the coming year and four carefully placed well-wishing cards currently hidden from view by the dark blue fabric of his old knapsack. Different designs, different messages: one for Fushira, one for Jiro's parents, one each for Jiro and Kluke. He also knew that by the time he got home, he'd have four cards, one each from recipients of his cards.

The cards were another important part of the holidays. They came in all sizes and colors, truly indicative of the holiday spirit in their unique designs and positive messages. Talta wasn't exactly a big village; however, its occupants had started and kept a custom of sending encouraging, optimistic cards to each other. Each card became something greater than itself, a reminder that everyone in the village would work together for prosperity and future happiness. They became reminders of friendship, love, and of better times. And always, always, conveyed a sense of persistence and determination, of not giving up in the bitterest of times.

Then came the envelopes. The little children would giggle in delight at the thought of themselves buying candy and toys with the money from those little red envelopes. Shu grinned abruptly to himself, remembering that Fushira always put aside a bit of money to provide him, Jiro, and Kluke with the small heralds of success. Jiro's father had explained that this would increase the flow of prosperity between generations while handing out his own envelopes to them, with his wife smiling genially at them from the cozy kitchen. He almost chuckled aloud at the memories – both of his friends were increasingly shy about receiving money (Fushira had employed the tactic of using this against them, stating that he would be displeased if they did not take the envelopes; at this point, both Jiro and Kluke would stop protesting, the first of the two stuttering and blushing slightly with the second teasing him to cover up her own mortification).

The adults would engage in poetry competitions, the air filled with words like snowflakes, similar but different, unique but still with a unifying theme. Black ink like streaking birds spilled onto paper in deliberate brushstrokes, beautiful calligraphy exposing their voices to the peaceful grey sky, drying in time to be hung with pride. Shu smiled as he walked by each thin paper in front of every house, walking faster towards his own. Every single year since the elder of the two had been able to read, Jiro always read every single one of them to Shu, who would only look closely at them when that happened. Kluke joined them regularly, listening as the eldest of the three lent a voice to the words, all the wonderful happy _beautiful _words soaring into the clouds.

As if eager to prove how joyful it was, the village swelled with more noise. Shu ducked under a gracefully dancing oak branch and stepped past the school, where little children played games to celebrate the lack of class and the exciting fun now present in greater amounts each day. A little pigtailed girl with a wool blue scarf and muffler picked up a spinning top in her mittens, the accessories all obviously knitted with care by a doting family member. Another girl joined her, giggling and joking and spinning around with her arms open wide, so that the first had to laugh and dance around with her. A few children were gathered around another game, in which players were blindfolded and then asked to place a few features onto a pre-drawn face. Laughter wafted over to him, and Shu strained to see the outrageous faces created by the blindfolded six-year-olds. Waiting kites caught the edge of his left eye and he turned to see all the different designs. A swallow perched waiting to take flight, a golden fish waiting to swim in the air, a brilliant horse waiting to race the wind…

He quickened his pace even more. His was waiting for him in the attic, a dragon he and Jiro had made together late into the night (Kluke would have helped, but Jiro was more adept at this kind of activity…and Shu wouldn't have needed help had he started earlier). The three friends had agreed to use their shadows as their kite designs, deciding it was a proper tribute and expression of gratitude to the faithful beings. Shu sped up, jogging now, thinking of his friends all the while. Grinning wryly, he recalled a conversation between his best friend and himself when they were younger.

"_Jiro, that was amazing! How'd you remember all that?" Shu bounced on his heels excitedly before clambering over the sofa (despite the other's ineffectual protests). Jiro sighed as he set down the latest book he'd been reading (another thick one) and admonished, "Shu, normally people sit down on the sofa. They don't dive over it like you just did." Shu would have pouted, except he remembered he was ten now. "Well, then, people are normally boring! So ha!" Sticking out his tongue (how could Jiro argue with this impeccable logic, after all), he grinned cheekily before going back to the topic he brought up before the other could say anything else. "So how'd you memorize everything so quickly?" Jiro rolled his eyes but complied with, "I don't really know. I kind of just have a knack for remembering things, I guess." Shu laughed. "Or maybe you're just so smart you knew all the poems in the game already." When the other blushed, the younger knew he had hit the nail on the head. "I knew it! Geez…you really are smarter than everyone else." Despite turning steadily redder, Jiro shook his head vehemently. "No, no. Shu, I am not s-smarter than everyone else. D-don't exaggerate so much…!" Shu smirked. "Are too! I'm not exaggerating either! And don't argue with me, Jiro, just accept it. It's not a bad thing after all." The elder mumbled half-heartedly, "I'm not arguing, I'm disagreeing…" Then quieter but in a more sincere tone, "Thanks, though." _

Shu couldn't stop smiling as he reached his home and went in, rushing up to the attic to grab his kite before running out again, towards his best friend's residence. So, so many memories. He wasn't sure he could count them all; he couldn't remember all of them (he suspected Jiro could, though). _Almost there…I can see the lights up ahead. Red and blue and green and yellow lights, flashing on and off in little patterns. There's laughter, someone's humming a carol, and the food smells really, really good…I wonder if we'll do the first tea ceremony together again. Last year was fun despite me almost spilling the tea. But I'm really looking forward to the first star-viewing and sunrise…I hope we see that red star again. Jiro was so excited by that, he couldn't stop talking about it for about two weeks…_

He laughed again, almost in greeting, as the door swung open to reveal the best friend in question. Jiro blinked at him in surprise, but smiled anyway. "Hey." Shu grinned, poking at some brown on usually immaculately clean green fabric. "What's up? Did you let Fushira watch the cake again?" Jiro rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha. Very funny. I'm laughing very hard on the inside." A slight pause as Shu tried to regain his breath. "No, Mother baked the cake with Kluke. I only helped a little, but it was enough to get some batter onto me, apparently." The younger of the two slung a friendly arm over the other's shoulder. "Got your telescope ready?" Jiro looked over, "Um…it's set up, but why do you ask?" Shu smirked as they walked into the kitchen together to greet everyone else, "I have a good feeling about that star we saw last time…"

_Owari_

Yup, it's short. Now time to go back to studying. And another note: I already stated this on my profile, but if I haven't reviewed a story/chapter, it doesn't mean I haven't read it. I'm following some that don't have reviews yet and some that do. Rest assured, once finals are over, I'll go and review the ones I haven't reviewed yet. Also, to the rp people: Sorry once again for the inactivity. Finals are eating me alive (and I'm actually coming down with a fever). Still writing the other stories, haven't given up yet. (Not going to give up, as long as there are still readers.) So yes, I think that concludes everything from me. Until next time (which hopefully comes faster than I think it'll come)~


End file.
